Kay Bailey Hutchison: “the Senator from Arizona just touched on an important point, and that is, all of us are trying to avoid a vote directly…”

“the Senator from Arizona just touched on an important point, and that is, all of us are trying to avoid a vote directly on decertification. No one wants that to happen. But, in fact, if the Senator from Arizona is correct--what all of us worked so hard to put together was a positive, productive statement that we could work from to make progress in the war on drugs between our countries--if what he is saying is true, then we are all going to be forced to make the worst of all votes because we just can't get our bill on the floor for debate. Is that correct? Mr. McCAIN. That is correct. I appreciate the efforts of the Senator from Texas. All of us understand the importance of the war on drugs. Those of us from border States perhaps--I emphasize perhaps--appreciate it a little bit more because of the direct involvement that we have. I am not going to speak on this again in the Chamber and take time. I think we are going to work this out. We have to. I want to especially express my appreciation to the Senator from California, the Senator from Texas, the Senator from Georgia, Mr. Coverdell, and the Senator from Connecticut, Mr. Dodd, Senator Kerry of Massachusetts, and others, and members of the administration who sat down with us and negotiated, I think, an important and positive agreement and a way around this issue.”